1. Describe at least 2 ways that the use of a class web site like TeacherWeb could be used to support your future teaching. Provide some specific details for each example.
One way a teacher website could be helpful for a teacher is by being able to post the students grades through it. They can use an easy devise that will allow them to sort out their grades and keep track of them but also allows the parents and students to have easy access to them as well. Another bonus to a teacher website is the ability to stay organized in the worksheets they give, a calendar they can post online and announcements. A website gives the teachers the ability to take all the information they have about the class and organize it properly.
2. Identify 2 ways students could use a class web site like TeacherWeb to enhance their learning. Provide some details for each way identified.
Students can benefit from a teacher website by having the ability to practice the material they are currently learning. This includes through the games, review worksheets and practice tests. They are also able to know what is coming up in the class through the calendar and announcements. The students can learn more about the subject through the online resources provided by the teacher.
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Monday, September 14, 2009
Blogs and Wikis in Education
Wikis and blogs have a vast arrange of opportunities to use within the classroom. One exciting and interesting way to use a blog is by having classrooms across the world interact with each other. This creates the student to be more excited and motivated to learn the subject and lesson at hand. This can also create the students to hear different perspectives on what they are learning due to the diversity between the two locations. Another amazing feature that the blog can provide is ability to hear every student’s ideas and thoughts on a subject. When doing a discussion within the class about a topic only a few of the students will be able to be heard. On a blog every student can write their thoughts on the subject. Wikis also have innovated ways to be used as well. As a math teacher I can create a wiki that allows students to go online and help each other solve a problem. If one student is unable to solve a problem another student could help them by putting a step by step process on how to solve it. It is through this communication that will allow them to do better within the class.
RSS can also be a very helpful tool for not only the teacher but the student as well. One way a teacher can benefit from RSS is through the ability to view student’s weblogs easily. Instead of having to check all the students weblogs every day the teacher can collect their work through the aggregator in his/her feed. This can cut the time for the teacher and still allow the teacher to make comments on the students work when needed. This can be beneficial for the student in the many project and assignments they receive. Students can use RSS to receive information on a project they are doing. So let’s say that Fred is working on a World War II project he can use RSS to provide him with needed information to finish the project. RSS is a great source of organization and getting the information needed.
Using blogs and wikis have many benefits and disadvantages in a classroom. One benefit of using a wiki within a classroom is the easy access for all students to communicate with one another. If the students are doing a group project using email can become a confusing and limited source. When using email only the students who are sent the information will get it and when responding only the one person who sent it will get it back. This is why wiki is so beneficial. When on the wiki every person within the group is able to see the information on the page, this includes new information that is added through time. However, since each student has access to the page it can be easy for someone to mess with the information on it, including erasing important documents. This is where trust will need to be demonstrated within the group. A benefit of a blog is their ability to have ownership and identity of their education. Most blogs allow a student to personalize their page and give their thoughts and ideas on a topic. Not only that, but a blog can provide a student to be more responsible of their own education due to the fact that most of the time they will be doing a post while at home. One problem of the blog and wiki is the fact that some students will not have easy access to a computer. There will be students who do not have a computer at home which could create difficulty to keep up with the posts the teacher wants them to do. Overall, wikis and blogs can be a very useful tool for the classroom when used right.
RSS can also be a very helpful tool for not only the teacher but the student as well. One way a teacher can benefit from RSS is through the ability to view student’s weblogs easily. Instead of having to check all the students weblogs every day the teacher can collect their work through the aggregator in his/her feed. This can cut the time for the teacher and still allow the teacher to make comments on the students work when needed. This can be beneficial for the student in the many project and assignments they receive. Students can use RSS to receive information on a project they are doing. So let’s say that Fred is working on a World War II project he can use RSS to provide him with needed information to finish the project. RSS is a great source of organization and getting the information needed.
Using blogs and wikis have many benefits and disadvantages in a classroom. One benefit of using a wiki within a classroom is the easy access for all students to communicate with one another. If the students are doing a group project using email can become a confusing and limited source. When using email only the students who are sent the information will get it and when responding only the one person who sent it will get it back. This is why wiki is so beneficial. When on the wiki every person within the group is able to see the information on the page, this includes new information that is added through time. However, since each student has access to the page it can be easy for someone to mess with the information on it, including erasing important documents. This is where trust will need to be demonstrated within the group. A benefit of a blog is their ability to have ownership and identity of their education. Most blogs allow a student to personalize their page and give their thoughts and ideas on a topic. Not only that, but a blog can provide a student to be more responsible of their own education due to the fact that most of the time they will be doing a post while at home. One problem of the blog and wiki is the fact that some students will not have easy access to a computer. There will be students who do not have a computer at home which could create difficulty to keep up with the posts the teacher wants them to do. Overall, wikis and blogs can be a very useful tool for the classroom when used right.
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
Multiple Intelligences in the Classroom
After taking the multiple intelligences inventory I have discovered that my core intelligences are logical and intrapersonal thinking. As a math major the inventory results are correct in displaying that I have a logical intelligence. Linear reasoning is one core characteristic of logical thinking that I follow. In my life I have always tried to keep order and consistency in my life. This includes keeping my room clean, having a consistent schedule and having a place and time for everything. It is rare for me to do something spontaneously and without notice. Abstract and concrete reasoning are also core characteristics of logical thinking. Through my study of math I use these characteristics often by breaking equations apart to find the answer and using many symbols to represent numbers and other mathematical terms. It is not just in my major that I use these characteristics but also in my life especially when there is a problem I have to deal with. I like to break down the problem and search for all answers before I come to a conclusion on how I should solve or deal with it. I believe that logical intelligence is a major factor in the way I think.
The multiple intelligence inventory also said that I think interpersonally. The core characteristics of this intelligence fit my personality and way of thinking perfectly. Throughout my life I have had the knowledge of my feelings, thoughts and emotions everyday and I attempt to monitor them at my best ability. These traits are a representation of the characteristics of affective awareness and self-regulation. Ethical awareness is another trait that I live by through the wanting to keep strong morals and principles in my life. As a child I grew up in a family that believed in being the best person you can and through being a Christian and living my life off of Biblical knowledge has created me to have strong morals. The results of the multiple intelligence test describes my life entirely.
Students who think logically will have many traits that create order and scientific reasoning. They can often see relationships between ideas, numbers and thoughts. The students are often fond of math, enjoying solving puzzles, manipulating functions and solving problems. They take ideas and analyze them fully to see every aspect and feature before making a conclusion and thought about it. With all of this said, the students are able to do all of these traits at a faster pace than many other students. Students will tend to lead toward science as well do to their mechanical way of thinking then English or art do to the creativity needed in these subjects.
To be able to support my classroom that have students who think logically I need to create structure and order to support their intelligence. There are many ways of doing this including by setting goals. This will allow them to see what is to come. Another way of doing this is by giving the students criteria and instructions before an activity giving them structure. To be able to accommodate their problem solving trait a teacher can assign puzzles and open-ended problems within their lecture. A teacher can encourage debate, assign experiments that create the student to test a hypothesis and provide story problems that take thought. If teachers follow these actions that can easily reach out to the particular students.
Students who think logically often enjoy technologies that are connected to science and math. This includes the basic ruler, graphing calculator and problem solving tasks. Other mathematical tools include measuring cups, scales, graphing charts and spread sheets. But for some technologies that are different that will intrigue the student into the information getting taught include unifix cubes, search engines and Cuisenaire rods. All of these technologies can create a classroom that have involved, hands on projects that can strive the students to want to learn the material. If the teacher provides them with these tools it can create the classroom to be enjoyable and fun.
As I have learned about learning styles and multiple intelligences I have discovered that all of my lesson plans will need diversity to reach to every student’s own way of thinking. As I am becoming a future math teacher I will need to focus on not only leaning toward logical thinking, being my main intelligence that is focused mostly on mathematical thinking it will be a challenge of mine. So through this knowledge I plan to take time while making lesson plans on how I will be able to reach all types of intelligences so no student will be left out. I not only want to reach the students who think logically but also rhythmically, linguistically and visually. For every teacher this can be a challenge but great teachers will take the time away to create activities, lectures and group work so no child will be left behind.
The multiple intelligence inventory also said that I think interpersonally. The core characteristics of this intelligence fit my personality and way of thinking perfectly. Throughout my life I have had the knowledge of my feelings, thoughts and emotions everyday and I attempt to monitor them at my best ability. These traits are a representation of the characteristics of affective awareness and self-regulation. Ethical awareness is another trait that I live by through the wanting to keep strong morals and principles in my life. As a child I grew up in a family that believed in being the best person you can and through being a Christian and living my life off of Biblical knowledge has created me to have strong morals. The results of the multiple intelligence test describes my life entirely.
Students who think logically will have many traits that create order and scientific reasoning. They can often see relationships between ideas, numbers and thoughts. The students are often fond of math, enjoying solving puzzles, manipulating functions and solving problems. They take ideas and analyze them fully to see every aspect and feature before making a conclusion and thought about it. With all of this said, the students are able to do all of these traits at a faster pace than many other students. Students will tend to lead toward science as well do to their mechanical way of thinking then English or art do to the creativity needed in these subjects.
To be able to support my classroom that have students who think logically I need to create structure and order to support their intelligence. There are many ways of doing this including by setting goals. This will allow them to see what is to come. Another way of doing this is by giving the students criteria and instructions before an activity giving them structure. To be able to accommodate their problem solving trait a teacher can assign puzzles and open-ended problems within their lecture. A teacher can encourage debate, assign experiments that create the student to test a hypothesis and provide story problems that take thought. If teachers follow these actions that can easily reach out to the particular students.
Students who think logically often enjoy technologies that are connected to science and math. This includes the basic ruler, graphing calculator and problem solving tasks. Other mathematical tools include measuring cups, scales, graphing charts and spread sheets. But for some technologies that are different that will intrigue the student into the information getting taught include unifix cubes, search engines and Cuisenaire rods. All of these technologies can create a classroom that have involved, hands on projects that can strive the students to want to learn the material. If the teacher provides them with these tools it can create the classroom to be enjoyable and fun.
As I have learned about learning styles and multiple intelligences I have discovered that all of my lesson plans will need diversity to reach to every student’s own way of thinking. As I am becoming a future math teacher I will need to focus on not only leaning toward logical thinking, being my main intelligence that is focused mostly on mathematical thinking it will be a challenge of mine. So through this knowledge I plan to take time while making lesson plans on how I will be able to reach all types of intelligences so no student will be left out. I not only want to reach the students who think logically but also rhythmically, linguistically and visually. For every teacher this can be a challenge but great teachers will take the time away to create activities, lectures and group work so no child will be left behind.
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